COMMITMENT REQUIRES CONTROLLED OBEDIENCE. 2nd Kings 9 Idolatry leads to evil practices in a person and a nation. The wickedness of those who lead seriously affects a society's moral standards and spiritual life, and the consequences can bring the whole nation down in weakness. That ultimately ends in its demise as a nation. History teaches us this when we learn how world empires that dominated certain historical times no longer exist. With a few exceptions, like the Roman Empire, two hundred years is about the length of time a nation is influential before the historical drift overcomes the people. The historical accounts of some important events in Israel are given so we do not make the mistakes they made.
God lets us see behind the scenes when Elisha sent a young prophet forty miles to Ramoth-Gilead, where the military leaders of the Israeli army were stationed. Joram, the king, was at Jezreel recovering from wounds received in battle. Ahaziah was also there visiting. The time and setting were right for God's judgment to fall because of the wickedness the leadership of the family of Ahab brought to the nation. This recorded incident tells of Ahab’s son’s and his son-in-law’s death.
When he came to where the army officers were gathered, the prophet privately told Jehu, an army captain, that God had appointed him king, and he was anointed with oil on his head. God intended Jehu to carry out divine judgment and bring justice to the leadership of Israel. When Jehu knew he was given this role and task, he realized that Elijah's prophecies, which he had given twenty years before, were to be carried out by him. He did not hesitate to take action. His fellow officers had thought the young prophet was a madman until Jehu told them he was anointed king over Israel. They quickly accepted his leadership and followed him to Jezreel.
We do not always know why certain things happen at the time, but in God's calendar of events, everything is in order. It is important for us to remember that our choices and actions affect others. What can leaders do to make or break the lives of those who follow them? We must carefully consider our decisions because other people will follow us. We need to have clear and acceptable results in our minds before we act.
Jehu was a man of action but seemed to act without thinking things all the way through to the desired outcome. Jehu had good leadership qualities and could have been a successful king if he had taken the time to think through a matter and the consequences that followed the action. God used him to bring an end to the wickedness of the family of Ahab. He saw what needed to be done right at the moment and did it. The Lord God of Israel used Jehu to purge the nation of Baalism. His commitment to the work was unquestioning, enthusiastic, and immediate. But even though he obeyed and carried out the task given to him then, his obedience was not always controlled.
The death of Joram and Ahaziah eliminated the leadership dynasty of Ahab. Jezebel mocked Jehu when he came to get her and accused him of doing what Zimri did forty years earlier when he assassinated Elah and was killed himself a week later by Omri. Elijah's prophecy about Jezebel also came to pass, and there was nothing left of her to bury except a skull, hands, and feet. There was no grave or memorial as a remembrance of that wicked woman. The burying place of Joram, the last of Ahab's family, was on the ground he had stolen from Naboth.
In our zeal for the Lord, we must follow His word's guidance and aim to fulfill His divine will. Sometimes, the Lord seems to wait long to carry out His purpose, and we are tempted to act prematurely. Then, on other occasions, His actions are swift and immediate. Our responsibility is to be in close fellowship with our Lord to be "the Lord's messenger, in the Lord's message." When that is the case, we are in a condition and position to do what is needed in the right way and at the right time.
Jezebel defied the Lord and His word throughout her life. At her death, everything amounted to nothing. Her family, prestige, and power were gone, and her legacy was disdained because of her self-centeredness and treachery. No heritage was left except a bad reputation of spiritual darkness.
Our lives are given to us by God to bless others. Wealth, power, health, and all the positive things God graciously grants us are stewardship to be used for His glory. The course we set in life is usually done in our early years when we can see clearly without much baggage to encumber us.
Our commitment to God and willingness to yield our will to Him for our life involves being enthusiastic, energetic, visionary, and willing to venture out into the unknown. Obedience to our Lord's divine will keep these virtues under control so we don't rush here and there without guidance. We need objectives, including personal goals, to be defined and reachable. Sometimes, in our enthusiasm, we make rash commitments that may have a bad outcome if we do not carefully plan a course of action before the Lord.
Jehu had a clearly given commission that he carried out effectively. He came close to being the leader God wanted, but he went too far on his initiative. He failed to follow through to the end on other things. He settled for less than God wanted because he acted according to his personality rather than divine direction.
There is a sense in which our talents and personality enter into our work for the Lord. These are only useful when used by God in harmony with the gifts He gives us. Natural strengths and abilities are good when sanctified for the Master's use and under His control. Enthusiasm can lead to recklessness. Obedience involves combined control, direction, and action.
When difficulties come, all is not well when those who lead are not there to take on the responsibilities God gave them. They are needed to defend the truth and shoulder and bear the burdens of those who suffer. All is not well when tensions arise between saints and the problems that divide God’s people are left unsolved. The tensions increase, and people will take sides until they are dealt with and justice is served.
All is not well when accusations are made in a group, leading to divisions, unhappiness, and contention. Instead of pointing out and avoiding the cause, the offenders incite a serious schism. All is not well if sin is not faced and correction is not done in God’s way. Sin infects the whole group, and like leaven, sin soon carries the day. All is not well when, without God’s approval, we act in the flesh, and what we had hoped to attain has failed because our will and God’s will differ. All is not well until sin is confessed, and we turn, forsake that sin, and obey the voice of God. Then we find God has been waiting a long time for us to submit to Christ’s lordship and obey His Word.